Only 317,000 of these connections are currently activated – and therefore almost 17 percent of the potential. The RTR Internet Monitor shows that 1.9 million broadband connections could currently be established. However, there is at least one positive trend: the number of activated connections up to the first quarter has increased by 22 percent within a year.
“There is still a lot of room for improvement in demand,” said Klaus Steinmaurer, RTR’s managing director for telecommunications and postal services. “The alternatives are apparently still good enough for many people. But I assume that this will change soon.”
This is also reflected in user behavior: in the first quarter of this year, 2,950 petabytes of data volume – ten percent more than a year earlier – were consumed via fixed and mobile networks. The volume of data transmitted via mobile networks increased by 17 percent to 1,266 petabytes. The data volume via landline networks only increased by almost seven percent to 1,684 petabytes.
Energie AG second largest provider
Around 751,000 of the 1.9 million available connections are in Vienna. There is already capacity for 276,000 connections in Upper Austria and around 266,000 connections in Lower Austria. Burgenland has the fewest households and is therefore at the bottom of the list in Austria with 17,500 available connections.
There are currently a large number of mostly smaller providers. With a 30.3 percent market share, A1 Telekom Austria is the market leader for fiber optic connections, followed by Energie AG Oberösterreich (6.9 percent) and Kabelplus (6.8 percent).
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Real estate: fiber optic network is an important purchase criterion
How is the demand for fiber optic connections influencing homebuyer preferences in urban areas?
Iterion
Fast internet access, particularly through fiber optic networks, is increasingly becoming a critical factor for prospective homebuyers in Austria. With the growing demand for data consumption and the rapid expansion of telecommunications infrastructure, connectivity is now viewed as an essential feature when purchasing property.
In the first quarter of this year, data usage reached an astounding 2,950 petabytes, marking a ten percent increase compared to the previous year. Particularly notable is the surge in mobile data consumption, which rose by 17 percent to 1,266 petabytes, while fixed networks saw a more modest increase of nearly seven percent to 1,684 petabytes. This trend underscores the pivotal role of high-speed internet in everyday life, further emphasizing the importance of reliable fiber optic connections.
Currently, A1 Telekom Austria dominates the fiber optic market with a 30.3 percent share, followed by Energie AG Oberösterreich and Kabelplus, which hold shares of 6.9 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively. The demand for fiber optic connections is particularly pronounced in urban areas, with Vienna alone accounting for approximately 751,000 of the 1.9 million available connections in the country.
As more consumers prioritize connectivity in their home purchasing decisions, the real estate market will likely continue to evolve, placing greater emphasis on the availability and quality of broadband services.